This invention relates to a method and system for controlling the temperature of a liquid dispenser.
Liquid dispensing equipment is used in the food service industry to dispense beverages, such as milk. Generally liquid dispensing equipment includes a container of a beverage, such as milk, fruit beverages and the like, disposed in a refrigerated region to maintain the beverage, e.g., milk, considerably cooler than ambient temperature. The liquid dispensing equipment also includes a liquid dispensing head that has a liquid line connected to the milk container. In the known liquid dispensing equipment, the milk tends to warm during its travel from the refrigerated milk container through the liquid line to a beverage cup. The warming of the milk can result in potentially hazardous or contaminated milk being delivered to the beverage cup.
Thus, there is a need for an improved system and method for the delivery of a beverage to a beverage container without any significant warming of the beverage temperature so as to avoid contamination thereof.
The method of the present invention controls temperature of a liquid dispensing head that has a tip through which liquid is dispensed. A cool airflow is supplied to a passage of the dispensing head through which the liquid passes. A volume of the cool airflow is captured in a chamber that is adjacent the tip to maintain the tip at a cool temperature to avoid contamination of the liquid. The volume of cool airflow shields the tip from ambient temperatures that may be considerably warmer.
According to one aspect of the invention, the airflow passes from the passage into the chamber via one or more shaped apertures to control the cool airflow therethrough. According to another aspect of the method of the invention, the cool temperature is in the range of about 33xc2x0 F. to about 41xc2x0 F.
The liquid dispensing system of the present invention includes a liquid dispensing head that comprises a passage therethrough and a liquid delivery tip, through which liquid is dispensed and which is disposed adjacent a chamber. A cool airflow is circulated through the passage into the chamber to maintain the tip and the passage at a cool temperature to avoid contamination of the liquid.
According to one aspect of the invention, the liquid dispensing system of the invention includes a liquid line disposed in the passage. The tip can alternatively be an integral part of the liquid line or a separate part that is connected thereto.
According to another aspect of the invention, the chamber includes at least one hole in registry with the tip. A baffle directs the airflow in a controlled manner through the chamber. According to still another aspect of the invention, the baffle includes one or more shaped holes to control the airflow to the chamber. According to yet another aspect of the invention, the baffle includes a series of holes in registry with the tip to direct the flow of liquid from the tip through a hole in the chamber.
According to another aspect of the invention, thermal insulation is disposed to limit thermal transfer from the passage.